Cone snails are remarkable for the extent and diversity of gene-encoded peptide neurotoxins that are expressed in their venom apparatus. The protein content of the crude toxin extract of Conus figulinus Linneaus was found to be 1900 μg/mL. The crude extract (dilution up to 10) expressed hemolytic activity. The crude extract subjected to gel filtration chromatography yielded 60 fractions; the fr...

Phosphodiesterase 9 (PDE9) inhibitors have been studied as potential therapeutics for treatment of diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Here we report a potent PDE9 inhibitor 3r that has an IC50 of 0.6 nM and >150-fold selectivity over other PDEs. The HepG2 cell-based assay shows that 3r inhibits the mRNA expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose 6-phosphatase. These activities o...

Freshwater and brackish species of bryozoans belong to the Phylactolaemata and Gymnolaemata class. Twelve species of bryozoans were recorded and morphologically determined at eight locations in the Black Sea and the Adriatic basin in Croatia. Twelve species of Bryozoa have been listed in the taxonomic index for Croatia (Conopeum seurati, Lophopus crystallinus Paludicella articulata, Cristatella...

Elucidating the dynamic organization of nuclear RNA foci is important for understanding and manipulating these functional sites of gene expression in both physiological and pathological states. However, such studies have been difficult to establish in vivo as a result of the absence of suitable RNA imaging methods. Here, we describe a high-resolution fluorescence RNA imaging method, ECHO-liveFI...

Ricin A-chain (RTA) and saporin-L1 (SAP) catalyze adenosine depurination of 28S rRNA to inhibit protein synthesis and cause cell death. We present the crystal structures of RTA and SAP in complex with transition state analogue inhibitors. These tight-binding inhibitors mimic the sarcin-ricin recognition loop of 28S rRNA and the dissociative ribocation transition state established for RTA cataly...

Three new bitunicate ascomycetes belonging to the genus Acanthostigma are described from terrestrial decomposing wood collected from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear ribosomal 28S large subunit and internal transcribed spacer region placed all three species in the Tubeufiaceae and confirmed morphological analyses that these are distinct species. Exp...

Histones are the major protein component of chromatin structure. The histone family is made up of a quintet of proteins, four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 & H4) and the linker histones (H1). Spacers are found between the coding regions. Among insects this quintet of genes is usually clustered and the clusters are tandemly repeated. Ribosomal DNA contains a cluster of the rRNA sequences 18S, 5.8S...

Oscheius onirici sp. n. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) was isolated from a karst cave soil of Central Italy. Molecular and morphological analyses were performed. Total DNA was extracted from individual nematodes and the mitochondrial COI, the ITS containing region, the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene and the 18S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced. BLAST search at NCBI by using all mol...

Abstract The current shift of fishery efforts towards the deep sea is raising concern about vulnerability deep-water sharks, which are often poorly studied and characterized by problematic taxonomy. For instance, in Mediterranean Sea taxonomy genus Centrophorus has not been clearly unravelled yet. Since proper identification species fundamental for their correct assessment management, this stud...

Phylogenetic inference, based on five molecular markers (COI, 28S, AATS, 12S, PGD), corroborates the synonymy of flightless genera Pieltainia Arias, 1919 and Ariasella Gil, 1923 with Tachydromia Meigen, 1803. The secondary structure 28S rRNA gene is used for first time in this family to align multiple sequences. Molecular morphological data are largely congruent all known species Tachydromia. T...